1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods and apparatus for cleaning paintbrushes.
The invention particularly relates to apparatus and methods for cleaning artist's paintbrushes being used by an artist in the course of pursuing his artistic activities.
The invention specifically relates to the inertial removing of color and fluid from the bristles of a paintbrush by abruptly changing the speed of motion imparted to the bristles of the brush.
2. Prior Art
When an artist is working with colors, whether the colors be oil, acrylic, or watercolor, he must frequently clean his brush to remove the color material therefrom so that he may begin work with a new color. Typically, this is accomplished by immersing the brush in a first liquid thinning material such as water or turpentine, then removing the liquid which remains in the brush by wiping it on a cloth or a blotting paper or by scrapping the brush across one or more scraper bars such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,963,727 (A. J. Roberts, inventor). The brush is then again immersed in a relatively clean thinning solution and again the liquid retained on the brush is removed by wiping the brush on a rag or a blotting paper or by scraping the brush across one or more scraper bars.
When artists are working in the open or in an area where the condition of the floor is of little consequence, the artist will frequently remove the excess fluid from the bristles of the brush by swinging the brush in a rapid movement and then abrupting stopping that movement so that the inertia of the fluid particles causes the fluid to continue in motion and depart from the bristles onto the ground or the floor at the site at which the artist is working.
The first method wherein the liquid is removed from the bristles of the brushes by wiping the brushes on a rag or blotting paper or by scraping the brushes across one or more scraper bars is time consuming and the latter method of inertially removing fluid from the bristles of the brush constitutes at best pollution of the immediate environment in which the artist is working. The inertial removal of fluid from the brush bristles, however, is significantly faster than the wash, wipe, and dry or wash and scrape methods.
It is therefore an objective of the invention to provide the means and method for inertially removing the fluid contained in the bristles of a brush by effecting a series of abrupt reversals of inertial forces upon the bristles of such a brush.
It is a further objective of the invention to provide for the inertial removal of fluid from the bristles of a brush without contaminating the working environment.
It is another object of the invention to obviate the need for multiple washings of the brush prior to the brush being used with a new color.
A further objective of the invention is the provision of apparatus for thoroughly washing the brush and inertially removing the liquid which remains in the brush after such washing by inertial means.
It is a further objective of the invention to provide means for washing a brush and inertially removing the fluid therefrom including associated cooperative means comprising an artist's kit comprised of artist's materials suitable for use in the field wherein this artist kit is readily transportable within the means for inertially removing liquid from the bristles of the brush.